The Buzz
Concord Community Schools Newsletter
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!
ROBOTICS TEAMS SUCCEED AT COMPETITIONS
The FTC teams had an incredible day at the South Central League Qualifying tournament. The three teams battled through obstacles and were up against a shortage of teammates, but kept fighting all day. The last runs of the day were very solid and by far their best. Team #8656 earned recognition for finishing second place in the Motivate Award. Team #6811 also received recognition for their second-place finish in the Connect Award - falling one spot short of a berth in the State Finals. It was incredible to see the perseverance in our students. There was no challenge they couldn't face. I am so proud!!! #ONEHIVE #FEARTHEBOT
YOUTH BASKETBALL CAMP
CHRISTMAS CONCERT SUCCESS!!
SENIOR SCHOLARSHIP INFORMATION
Dear Class of 2022 Parents and Guardians,
I wanted to pass on this scholarship information to you in the hopes that it will open the opportunity for you to encourage your student to apply for scholarships.
I have shared with them our (all can be found in our Class of 2022 Google Classroom):
- Local Concord scholarships
- Local Jackson County resident scholarships
- Calhoun County resident scholarships
- A couple of different legit scholarship search engines
- Check the financial tab on the websites of colleges that they have applied to and review that institution's scholarship opportunities.
- Check with each business that they visit to ask if they have scholarship opportunities (the worst they can say is no)
- Check with the banks and/or credit unions that they may be a member of for scholarship opportunities.
- Keep checking the listings as new ones may be added at any time.
Never count yourself out. Apply, and let the scholarship committee decide. The only guaranteed no is not applying.
There is also a spreadsheet that I made for them to use to keep track of scholarships that they are applying for. This will be good to keep with them if they choose to go the college/trades pathway, as many scholarships are renewable or can be applied for beyond their freshman year of college. Scholarships are out there for both college and trade schools.
Myself and Mr. Mojume (from the College and Career Access Center) are here to support them and have offered our assistance in scholarship completion. Looking ahead, we are going to begin working on applications and resumes for those headed to the workforce.
I hope that you all have a very restful break surrounded by your loved ones,
Kelly Otto
SCHOLAR ATHLETE OF THE WEEK - JONATHAN MIKOVITZ
ANOTHER REGULAR SEASON CONFERENCE TITLE
The 8th-grade team ended the year with a win and an 11-1 record. The team was undefeated in the regular season and headed into the tournament on a hot streak. They defeated a tough Bronson team in the first game of the tournament. In the second game of the tournament, they faced Reading for the third time. They battled hard but lost by one point at the buzzer on a three-point shot. In the last game of the tournament, the Jackets worked hard to pull out the victory against Jonesville. The win landed the jackets with the best record in the Big 8 and the conference title. WAY TO GO YELLOWJACKETS!!!
PURPLE PEOPLE
REPEATED UPDATES AND REMINDERS SECTION
SCHOOL VIOLENCE - WITH LETTER FROM THE PROSECUTING ATTORNEY
I also ask that we come together as a community and make keeping kids safe our mission. I do not claim to know the answers, but I do know that there are things we can do to be proactive. First and foremost, we need to love and respect one another. Hate, anger, and violence will not solve problems.
We need to give each other the gift of time. Our kids need us to put down our phones, close our work, and shut off Netflix, and just be with them. Giving them time lets them know we love them. Loneliness is a breeding ground for anger and hate. We must reach out and ensure everyone feels connected.
We need to monitor our children's social media and internet use. That often can give us great insight into what they are thinking and wondering about. Social media can be a tool for communication and connection, but only when it is used appropriately. Additionally, we need to speak to them about the dangers of social media and making threats. Multiple schools were closed across the state following this tragedy because of copycat threats made on social media. Students need to know the prosecutors are charging students making threats against the school with felonies. It is very serious. Please talk to your kids about this.
Today there was a picture uncovered and shared with the Concord High School administrator that depicted one of these copycat threats. After investigation, it was found that it was not made by our students nor towards our school. I thank the brave students who shared information today. We are proud of you! However, these threats speak to a bigger issue; there are many students across the country that are hurting and need help.
We need to be vulnerable and let kids know it is okay to need support. When we need help, we need to feel comfortable asking for it. If you are worried about your child or someone else in your family, please reach out. Getting help, especially mental health support, is critical when we are experiencing hardships. The sooner mental health issues are treated the easier and quicker we heal and move forward. Waiting for our loved ones to outgrow the issue can sometimes lead to much larger and more complex problems.
Lastly, we each need to make sure that if we have guns in our home they are stored safely in a secure location out of the reach of our students.
Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions or concerns.
NEW WEBSITE LAUNCHED
WHEN DO I KEEP MY CHILD HOME IF THEY ARE SICK?
Further, if you do take your child to the doctor and have a Rapid COVID-19 test and a PCR test done. You must keep your child home from school until you have the results of the PCR test EVEN IF the Rapid test is negative. You cannot send your child to school if you are waiting for PCR results. Many of our academic courses allow a student to access materials virtually, so if you must keep your student home, we can ensure they are keeping up with their learning.
In advance, we greatly appreciate your help. This will allow us to continue to maintain high levels of face-to-face instruction. When we do not follow these protocols, we end up having to put more students into quarantine. If you have questions, call the office. They will help walk you through determining how to approach any situation.
Elementary and Middle School Facebook Page
Have you liked the Elementary/Middle School Facebook Page? What about the Concord Community Schools Facebook Page??
If you have not yet, this week is a great time to start. The Elementary and Middle schools use the Facebook page to post many updates, announcements, and student photos; the Concord Community Schools page is a great way to see how a YellowJacket week unfolds! Don't miss the news - like and follow the pages today.
Concord Elementary/Middle School Facebook Page
YELLOWJACKET TEAM MEMBERS NEEDED!!
SOCIAL MEDIA ALERTS - PARENTS PLEASE READ
JACKET JAVA
FOOD FOR THOUGHT BACKPACK PROGRAM RETURNS
Upcoming Events
Concord Community School
Email: rebecca.hutchinson@concordschools.net
Website: www.concordschools.net
Location: 405 South Main Street, Concord, MI, USA
Phone: (517)524-8850